Media: the US wants to withdraw from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia

Sunday, June 25, 2017 2:30:46 PM

A number of American congressmen sent a proposal to the White House supporting the United States’ withdrawal from the Treaty on the Elimination of the Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, Politico writes.

Mike Rogers, a member of the House of Representatives and the head of the House Select Committee on Nuclear Weapons, who drafted the relevant bill, said that on the part of the U.S., it would be irresponsible to abide by the treaty, which had been long ago abandoned by the only participant, apart from the USA.

A similar document was developed by Senator Tom Cotton who suggests to officially declare Russia's breach of the treaty and to think about transferring missile technologies to U.S. allies. In turn, the Democrats in the House Armed Forces Committee suggested the White House consider imposing additional sanctions. Nevertheless, many congressmen oppose such a step.

The magazine writes that there is a tough discussion inside the Trump administration now, whether it is really necessary to withdraw from another international treaty, as this agreement with Russia had been the cornerstone in disarmament, banning an entire class of nuclear missiles.

The Pentagon, the State Department and the National Security Council in the White House are skeptical about this measure and are calling for a discussion about the consequences of such a step, which in theory can lead to an arms race.

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed in 1987 by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and USSR leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. It banned the development and deployment of missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km.

In February 2017, the United States accused Russia of violating the treaty, as Moscow deployed the banned missiles near their European borders.